The European Stroke Prevention Study: results according to sex

The European Stroke Prevention Study was a multicenter trial comparing the effect of a combination of 75 mg dipyridamole and 330 mg acetylsalicylic acid tid with placebo in the prevention of stroke or death after one or more attacks of recent transient ischemic attacks or stroke of atherothrombotic origin. From the 2,500 patients in the intention-to-treat analysis, the proportion of women was 42%, and from the 1,861 patients in the explanatory analysis it was 44%. The endpoint incidence was significantly higher in men than in women. The endpoint reduction was statistically significant only in the intention-to-treat analysis with total endpoints. However, there was a marked percentage reduction of endpoints in both men and women in explanatory analysis. The risk reduction of strokes was 49% for men and 41% for women, and the reduction of total endpoints was 39% in men and 30% in women. Thus, antiplatelet therapy is effective in the prevention of stroke or death in both sexes.